First of all, I agree with everything Stowe writes about Andrew Keen.
But by giving that egghead our attention, we are doing one of two things, both of them bad.
If Keen believe the condescending psycho-babble that comes out of his fingers, then we are helping to prove his point by focusing so much attention at him, while he sits naked on the throne of claimed superiority. I’m not dumping on Stowe here- I’ve been as guilty of this as anyone. Keen should be ignored. Maybe Tim O’Reilly should add an ignore Keen provision in his new web constitution. That would be enough to get my vote. Not really.
If Keen doesn’t really believe the stupid shit that he writes, but is merely brand building by typing stuff so irritating to regular people that it can’t help but get him noticed, then we are pawns in the creation of the new P.T. Barnum. Personally, I don’t think he believes a lot of what he writes, any more than the average science fiction writer believes in dragons. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Keen launch a traveling cybercircus with juggling bloggers and a dancing Scoble.
When people become so joined with their philosophical positions that discourse becomes impossible, the only remaining option is to ingore them. That’s why I ignore anyone who is a zealous republican or democrat.
It’s why we need to ingore Andrew Keen.
That’s why I shouldn’t have written this post.
Has anyone seen my unicycle?
Newsome.Org 